Women's Basketball To Host NEWMAC Semifinals and Final on Saturday and Sunday (Feb. 25-26)
Click here for complete tournament scheduleSPRINGFIELD, Mass., February 24, 2006 – Springfield College’s Blake Arena will be the site of this weekend’s New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Women’s Basketball Tournament Saturday and Sunday, February 25 and 26.
Springfield College, the #1-seed, will host #4-seeded Clark in the first semifinal at 1 pm Saturday, while #2-seeded Mount Holyoke will play #3-seeded WPI at 3 pm.
The NEWMAC title game will be played in Blake Arena on Sunday, Feb. 26 at 1 pm.
Springfield College completed the regular season with a 19-6 overall record and a 12-1 mark in the NEWMAC, thus securing the conference’s number one seed in the NEWMAC post-season tourney. Mount Holyoke finished 18-5 overall and 9-4 in the league. WPI ended the regular season with a 15-9 record and also a 9-4 mark in the league. Mount Holyoke gained the #2 seed as a result of a regular-season victory over WPI. Clark finished 16-8 and 7-6, thus edging Babson College for the #4 seed.
In first-round quarterfinal action last Tuesday, Springfield defeated #8-Wellesley (82-44), Mount Holyoke defeated #7-Wheaton (81-58), WPI defeated #6-Coast Guard (64-46), and Clark defeated #5-Babson (68-65). Including those results, Springfield is now 20-6, Mount Holyoke 19-5, WPI 16-9, and Clark 17-8.
Examining results from the regular season as far as semifinal match-ups are concerned, Springfield has already beaten Clark twice, the first time at Clark on Jan. 17 (79-68) and the second time at Blake Arena on Feb. 14 (76-65). Meanwhile, Mount Holyoke defeated WPI at Mount Holyoke on Jan. 28 (50-44).
THE FOUR SEMIFINALISTS:
# 1 -- Springfield College (20-6) is led by Head Coach Naomi Graves. The Pride is attempting to win this tournament for the 5th time in the last 6 years. SC is led by senior forward Courtney Parvin (Brackney, Pa./Montrose Area HS), who averages 15.3 points and 7.1 rebounds. She is followed by sophomore guard Christine Cotter (Stoughton, Mass./Stoughton HS) at 11.0 ppg, and senior center Erin Schwartz (Milford, Conn./Joseph A. Foran HS) at 9.8 ppg and 7.7 rpg. Springfield averages 65.7 points while giving up 59.7. SC owns a rebounding margin of 43.6 to 38.7. It shoots .407 from the floor, while allowing .357. SC has won this tourney in 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2005.
#2 -- Mount Holyoke College (19-5) of South Hadley, Mass., is led by Head Coach Michelle Scecina. The Lyons are led by junior guard Joeanna Silvey (Boston, Mass./Thayer Academy), who averages 13.0 ppg and 6.5 rpg. She is followed by senior center Jonee Billy (New York, N.Y./Environmental Studies) at 12.5 ppg and 8.8 rpg, and senior guard Christine Godin (Fitchburg, Mass./North Middlesex Reg. HS) at 11.0 ppg and 1.7 rpg. Mount Holyoke averages 61.0 ppg and gives up 53.5. MHC enjoys a rebounding edge of 40.1 to 33.5. The Lyons shoot .398, while giving up .367.
#3 -- WPI (16-9) of Worcester, Mass., is led by Head Coach Cherise Galasso. The Engineers are led by junior forward Meghan Pajonas (Southlake, Tex./St. Paul Catholic HS), who averages 9.3 points and 7.1 rebounds. She is followed by freshman center Michele Perry (Pelham, N.H./Pelham HS) at 7.5 ppg and 4.6 rpg. They are two of the top field goal percentage shooters in the league at .550 and .509, respectively. Four others average between 6.4 and 6.0 points in Galasso’s balanced attack. WPI averages 58.8 points, while giving up 52.2. In rebounding, opponents have the advantage ever so slightly, 35.8 to 35.6. WPI shoots .406, while giving up .359.
#4 -- Clark University (17-8) of Worcester, Mass., is led by Head Coach Pat Glispin. The Cougars are led by senior guard Andrea Comen (Holden, Mass./Wachusett Reg. HS), who averages 16.8 ppg and 3.6 rpg. She is followed by junior center Ashley Auclair (Williamsburg, Mass./Hampshire Reg. HS) at 14.0 ppg and 8.4 rpg, and freshman forward Sarah Rodrigue (Oakland, Maine/Messalonskee HS) at 10.5 ppg and 4.4 rpg. Clark averages 67.0 ppg, while allowing 60.9. The Cougars own a rebounding advantage of 42.9 to 38.6. Clark shoots .398 from the field, while allowing .385. Clark won this tourney in both 2000 and 2004.
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Head Coach Naomi Graves
Entering her 19th season as head coach in 2009-10, Naomi Graves has directed her squads to an impressive 266-117 record (.695 winning percentage) since joining the Division III ranks in 1995. Graves has led the Pride to eleven post-season bids in the past 14 years, including five berths in the NCAA Division III Tournament in the past nine years.
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